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Principle

The Eight Dynamics

by L. Ron Hubbard

Every living thing has one single goal in common—Survival.

You are trying to achieve the highest level of survival possible for as long as possible. As one looks out across the confusion which is life to most people, you will find that life can actually be subdivided into eight parts or eight urges toward survival.

The First Dynamic can be called the SELF DYNAMIC. This is the effort to survive as an individual, to be an individual. It includes one’s own body and one’s own mind. It is the effort to attain the highest level of survival for the longest possible time for self.

The Second Dynamic can be called the SEX DYNAMIC. This dynamic actually has two divisions. It is the urge toward survival through (1) the sexual act itself, and (2) through the family unit, including the care and raising of children.

The Third Dynamic can be called the GROUP DYNAMIC. This is the urge to survive through a group of individuals or as a group.

The Fourth Dynamic can be called the MANKIND DYNAMIC. This is the urge toward survival through all Mankind and as all Mankind.

The Fifth Dynamic is LIFE-FORMS. This is the urge to survive as life-forms and with the help of all life-forms. It is the effort to survive for any and every form of life. It is the interest in life as such.

The Sixth Dynamic is the PHYSICAL UNIVERSE or MEST. MEST stands for matter, energy, space and time, which are the component parts of the physical universe. It is the urge to survive as the physical universe and with the help of the physical universe and each one of its component parts.

The Seventh Dynamic is the SPIRITUAL DYNAMIC. It is the urge to survive as spiritual beings or the urge for life itself to survive.

The Eighth Dynamic is the urge toward existence as INFINITY. The Eighth Dynamic is commonly supposed to be a Supreme Being or Creator. Correctly defined as infinity, it actually embraces the allness of all. It is represented in Scientology by the symbol for “infinity.”